FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Community members have a new way to help support the important work of local nonprofits: Fairfield County Giving Day, which will be held Friday, March 7.

Sponsored by the Norwalk-based Fairfield County Community Foundation and Bank of America, the goal of this online, 24-hour day of giving is to raise $1 million for more than 300 nonprofits throughout the region.

Fairfield County Giving Day is a great way for residents to support a favorite local cause and help area nonprofits compete for more than $100,000 in prize money. Awards range from $500 to $25,000 and every donation – whether $10 or $100 – makes a difference and can help your nonprofit win.

Nonprofits from these towns, among many others, are taking part in the event: Danbury, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

Here's how it works: Go to www.FCGives.org and support your local nonprofits. Click here to view participating nonprofits.

On the site for Fairfield County Giving Day, you can search for nonprofits to support in a variety of ways:

By typing in a specific nonprofit name

By typing in the town you live in

By searching by cause (such as education, arts, environment, etc.)

A list of all nonprofits meeting those search criteria will appear and you can learn more about them by clicking on the organization's name.

Once you've made your choice, simply select "donate" next to the causes you would like to support and enter your donation amount and billing information. You can make a donation to one nonprofit or support several.

Your donation is multiplied when you make your gift on www.fcgives.org between midnight and midnight on March 7.

Your donation could help your favorite cause win a prize up to $25,000, or a $1,000 match.

Every donation made on Fairfield County Giving Day counts as a point for the nonprofit in the competition. The nonprofit that receives the most number of donations wins $25,000. In addition, the first 55 nonprofits to raise $1,000 will receive a dollar-for-dollar match of $1,000.

The prizes are as follows:

Early Bird Prizes:

$1,000 – Most money raised by 10 a.m.

$1,000 – Most number of donations by 10 a.m.

$750 – Second most money raised by 10 a.m.

$750 – Second most number of donations by 10 a.m.

$500 – Third most money raised by 10 a.m.

$500 – Third most number of donations by 10 a.m.

$500 – To the nonprofit that receives the 100th gift made on Giving Day

Most Donations Received Prizes:

$25,000 – Nonprofit with the largest number of donations

$20,000 – Nonprofit with the second largest number of donations

$15,000 – Nonprofit with the third largest number of donations

$10,000 – Nonprofit with the fourth largest number of donations

$5,000 – Nonprofit with the fifth largest number of donations

Matching Awards are given throughout the day. The first 55 nonprofits to raise $1,000 on Fairfield County Giving Day will receive a dollar-for-dollar match of $1,000.